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Topic Review (Newest First)

07-14-2013 07:46 PM

jak3b

Re: Cruising Worlds Top 40 Boats

Jeff,Family friends had one. It had been fire damaged and the owner rebuilt the deck cabin and interior.It always did well in the local(Mass Bay) races at the time, late '60's early '70's.

07-14-2013 04:14 PM

Jeff_H

Re: Cruising Worlds Top 40 Boats

When I think about Bill Tripp, one of his most amazingly visionary designs was his Galaxy 32. It is amazing how advanced that design was for its day. Bulb Keel, spade rudder, comparatively fine bow, powerful quarter sections and longish waterline for that era.

The amazing part of this design was that it supposedly drawn in 1957-58 depending on who you believe.....

Jeff

07-14-2013 01:42 PM

bobperry

Re: Cruising Worlds Top 40 Boats

Mac:
I love it when I am right!
So you are saying it's not a Jag anymore?

My client called his car " a Jag you can aFord".

07-14-2013 01:07 PM

jak3b

Re: Cruising Worlds Top 40 Boats

I like this tripp design, Lacompte Northeast 38

07-14-2013 01:04 PM

petmac

Re: Cruising Worlds Top 40 Boats

Quote:

Originally Posted by bobperry

Mac:
I'm with you on the row away factor of the B40. Hard to beat. Performance is a bit dated given the way the boat was wrapped around the CCA rule, i.e. short DWL, shoal draft squatty rig. You can change the rig but not the other stuff. Not sure I'd change anything though. I'd like to experience that boat just the way Tripp designed it.

I have a client with an XKE. He took out the Jag engine and replaced it with a Ford engine. He claims it is now a far superior car. Probably right. But,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Bob,
Take a closer look at above photo. Already changed the rig and went higher by 4 1/2 ft than a standard Mark III. Now carbon. Was going to go 2 ft higher but somebody suggested 4 to 5 ft. That person was you. You were right.

07-14-2013 12:21 PM

bobperry

Re: Cruising Worlds Top 40 Boats

Mac:
I'm with you on the row away factor of the B40. Hard to beat. Performance is a bit dated given the way the boat was wrapped around the CCA rule, i.e. short DWL, shoal draft squatty rig. You can change the rig but not the other stuff. Not sure I'd change anything though. I'd like to experience that boat just the way Tripp designed it.

I have a client with an XKE. He took out the Jag engine and replaced it with a Ford engine. He claims it is now a far superior car. Probably right. But,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

07-14-2013 08:42 AM

Jeff_H

Re: Cruising Worlds Top 40 Boats

Quote:

Originally Posted by petmac

"Bermuda 40-without question the greatest fiberglass boat of all time" Ferenc Matte The World's Best Sailboats

I think she belongs on the list.

Petmac, I know that you love your boat, and that is what counts. But if someone is evaluating boats with the main criteria being 'Is this one of the 40 greatest cruising boats?' then the day has long passed where the Bermuda 40 would come up on a fair assessment as one of the greatest cruising boat that one can purchase.

Im my mind its like this, in the 1880s Kunhardt described a 12 ton, 37 foot, gaff topsail yawl with a dipping lug mizzen and a 12 foot bowspit as his idea of the perfect small small cruising boat. No one today would even begin to think that Kunhardt's beloved yawl would qualify in a forty best.

This is similar to my view of the Bermuda 40. Once upon a time these were state of the art race boats which could also be cruised. She was designed by Bill Tripp who was one of the leading edge designers of the day, and built by a yard known for simple solid construction and nice details. They could hold their own on the race course of their day, and had enough amenities that they could be cruised in a comfortable manner for the day.

In the 50 plus years since the Bermuda 40 was designed, many of these boats have been updated or even built with modern improvements such shifting to a taller sloop rig in some cases with carbon fiber spars, diesel engines and modern electronics, and refrigation added, some of the last Bermuda 40s built have added deeper keels with better shape.

And yet, when all is said and done, when compared to a comparatively conservative but modern quality cruiser like a Hallberg Rassey 40, the Bermuda 40 has a comparatively uncomfortable motion rolling and pitching through large angles, relatively tender (your picture makes that case, sailing nearly rail down in what looks like less than 12 knots of wind, and pushing a bow wave that you can surf). Carrying capacity is tiny. Interior space is cramped. Speed is relatively slow. And compared to better versions of modern cruising boats, these old girls throw up a bunch of spray that make for a tough slog to windward.

And those are my main points. Now then, I personally love to look at boats like these. I think they have a place in history. They are even enjoyable to sail, but are they one of the top 40 state of the art cruising boats? I don't think that case can be made.

Respectfully,
Jeff

07-13-2013 09:25 PM

Advocate777

Re: Cruising Worlds Top 40 Boats

This is a great thread for me...especially since I have been actively looking at sailboats to buy for the past several months.
Based on all of your accumulative knowledge; I have the following criteria so I welcome feedback especially since this thread is about the 'best' boats:

1.) Don't tell me to 'keep looking and when you fall in love with a boat you will know. Unfortunately there are too many boats to 'date' while waiting to 'fall in love'
2.) Don't tell me to 'sail every boat you can to learn what you really want' because I have already been sailing on alot of boats and I have certain restrictive parameters.
3.) Don't tell me to 'buy a dinghy now and learn how to sail best and then buy a bigger boat' because I already know how to sail and I am an old man and may die soon. I can buy 'one boat' for my life, at my age.
4.) I need to find a boat that can be found on the east coast of the USA. I cannot afford to travel to Mexico, the BVI's, Asia, or Panama to find a 'great deal'.
5.) I need a boat that is 'blue water capable or blue water modifiable'. I am not interested in a day sailor no matter how fast it sails or how neat it is.
6.) I need a smaller-ish sailboat that can be single-handed or 'mom and pop' crewed by a 55 year old skipper and a 45 year old first mate.
7.) I need a used sailboat for about 50K.
8.) I need that 50K sailboat to have a good diesel engine as part of the 50K.
9.) I can put about 20K more into the boat to prepare it over a 3-5 year period.
10.) The boat should be mid to heavy displacement and with a full keel with a seakindly motion that does not cause us to puke our guts out in a seaway or 24-hour passage.
11.) Although I can learn 'diesel mechanics', I am not a talented 'Do it yourself- lets build a new bulkhead' kind of guy. I am not great at manual mechanic skills- I am more of the intellectual brain power doctor/lawyer type skills; ie., no 'do it youself' ability whatsoever.........but not such a rich lawyer or doctor that I can pay someone else to do everything. In other words; I cannot do a 'fix-me-up' boat because I suck at changing a light bulb (although if you have been arrested or in need of an appendectomy our crew can save you- ha-ha..)
Based on the above criterion.....does anybody have a 'top 10 blue water sailboats readily accessible for review on America's east coast that do not require major deck work or tens of thousands of dollars in refit costs for blue water work for a crew of 2?)

Is that asking too much?
Help me to focus.....I am getting weary of my sailboat search...
HELP! Any ideas on what boats to focus in on?
(And dont tell me to buy what my heart falls in love with...

Tartan 37 should not only be on the list but probably be somewhere among the top. Great sailing well balanced cruiser.

07-13-2013 01:51 PM

petmac

Re: Cruising Worlds Top 40 Boats

Quote:

Originally Posted by bobperry

Chef:
Me too. That's a hard one to figure out. I'm going sailing on a T37 on Tuesday. Can't wait. Never sailed one before.

Pet:
You do rrealize that people PAID Ferenc Matte to get in that book. Right? That said, I would say that the B40 deserves consideration. I'm a fan of just about everything that Tripp designed.

I certainly agree on the T37. Should be on the list.
Bob....you would know better on Matte book but having said that I've never read a bad review on a Bermuda 40 except for by Jeff H. Kretschmer gave her a "rare five stars for construction quality"."Her steering easy and well balanced." Henderson called her a thoroughbred and like other Tripp centerboarders a splendid performer in most conditions.
To me, quality of build is at the top of the list. They sail well and resale value is good. Row away factor is second to none in my opinion.
I like most Tripp designs as well.

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